Filling machines are used in many different industries. One particular use of filling machines includes filling containers such as bottles, cartons, and the like with liquid foodstuff such as milk, juice, other beverages, ketchup and other condiments, and the like. Some filling machines have a plurality of nozzles, filler valves, or dispensing heads that align with the containers to be filled.
Due to hygiene and cleanliness demands, these nozzles and adjacent portions of the filling machine need to be cleaned periodically to prevent the risks of contamination of the food product. Conventional cleaning methods can be relatively labor intensive and time consuming. Accordingly, some conventional machines may be cleaned only when shutdown between shifts or in connection with a change in product. Furthermore, conventional cleaning methods also tend to be dependent upon human action to initiate cleaning. Accordingly, such methods are subject to error due to the need for human interaction to initiate the cleaning process.